PROLOGUE of everything
PROLOGUE ' ' Bracondis stood on a ragged rock cliff as she squinted into the churning sea below. Her tail was curled inward as freezing rain bounced off her folded wings and horns. Her whole body was dripping and wet and freezing as she flicked her tail impatiently. That idiot SilkWing… he was the one who made me do this. It’s his fault the egg’s gone. It’s his fault I’m stuck waiting here for- oh, right- his “good friend SPRUCE!” Ugh. Gag me. She shook herself out and glared into the raging storm. She narrowed her eyes and turned to walk back down the slippery slope. That was it. She was leaving. “WAIT!” a voice called from the clouds. Bracondis jerked around and spotted a LeafWing that was the color of sun-dappled leaves. The LeafWing coughed and looked up at Bracondis pleadingly. She looked down her snout at the withering creature. His snout was wrinkled in a puny way and his scales were soaked. He coughed wheezily. His whole body shook slightly. “Y-you that HiveWing friend of Goldstud?” he asked, his snout dripping miserably. Dear Clearsight… THIS is the messenger of Arkhor? I truly expected more. “Yes,” she hissed, not making a move to help him up. He struggled to his talons and looked around dizzily. He looks just like his dopey friend. Ugh. Bracondis usually trusted other HiveWings, but certainly not LeafWings or SilkWings. The green dragons were hiding in the forests. Who knew what they were planning? And the SilkWings- well, they were just to loving and sickly sweet to do anything even mildly imposing. Frigid water rained over her as the LeafWing shook himself off. She stepped back, hissing in irritation. “So, when will you take me there?” she asked, trying to not let her temper get ahold of her. Her jaw clenched automatically at the green dragon’s confused look. “Huh?” Bracondis growled in the back of her throat. “ARK-hor’s CAVE,” she pronounced slowly, making a shape of a mouth of a cave. This earned her another blank look. He’s a LeafWing. Don’t expect him to understand. She took a deep breath and massaged her temples. “Your MASTER?” “Arkhor’s not my master. He’s Goldstud’s. I’m a free civilian. I’m trying to help you.” The two stood there for a moment. Huh. So LeafWings AREN’T complete glowworms. “Goldstud told you to take me there, correct?” “Sort of-” The LeafWing suddenly stopped, his eyes bulging out as he fell over. Bracondis stepped back. Three moons, what’s wrong with him…? A HiveWing landed gracefully on the ledge in front of her. His eyes had a small glint to them. He held a blowgun and wore a small pouch that lay across his chest loosely. His scales were goldy-orange and striped like a tiger’s. He smirked at her stunned face. “Who are you?” Bracondis snarled. “What did you do to him?” The HiveWing held up his talons, smiling. “He’ll wake up in a few days. I’m not here to hurt you, Bracondis.” “Then what are you here to do?” The HiveWing smiled again. “To teach you a valuable lesson-- never leave a LeafWing to do a HiveWing’s job.”